Combined ladder and scaffold.



.PATBNTED FEB. 12, 1907.

M. BA E COMBINED LADDER AND SGAFFOLD.

' AIPLIOATION FILED JULY 9, 1906.

2YSHEETS-SHEET 1.

. INVENTQR,

BY WVYZ/VWTTY.

ATTEsT.

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PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907'.- M. BAUER. COMBINED LADDER AND SOAPFOLD. APPLOATIOfi FILED JULYQ 1906 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- INVEN QR m 63m BY ATTY.

MARTIN BAUER, OF CLEVELAND, OI-IIO.

COMBINED LADDER AiklD SCAFFOLID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed July 9,1906. serial No. 825,260.

To (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN BAUER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Ladder andScaffold and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combined ladder and scaffold; and theinvention consists in the construction and combination of parts,substantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan elevation of myimproved ladder and scaffold shown as resting against a building inusing position. Fig. 2 is a section of the top of the ladder proper andof the extension thereon, showing the means whereby the said parts areunited. and made rigid one with the other. Fig. 3 is a cross-section ofthe ladder on a line corresponding to 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. i is a sideelevation of the top of the ladder proper, showing the construction andrelation of the top brace thereto in both open and folded position. Fig.5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the side of theladder and a longitudinal section of the ventilating-ferrule, also ashereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line as m, Fig. 5.Fig. 7 shows one of the sections or halves of the ferrule for the roundsof the ladder. Fig. 8, 9, and 10 are the different views of the braceconnections for the lower end of the ladder, adapted to prevent thebraces from becoming unlocked in their engagement with the eyebolts, ashereinafter more fully des ribed.

The invention as thus shown comprises at least four different novelfeatures: first, the ferrule for protecting the rounds of the ladderfrom rotting second, the top extension, by means of which the ladder iselongated or lengthened for higher buildings than ordinarily whendesired; third, the link connection at the heel of the upper braceframe, whereby the said frame can be set and held at different angleswith respect to the ladder and is adapted to be folded flat against theladder; fourth, the novel construction of the eyebolt, which is engagedb the floor or ground brace of the ladder and which is so constructed asto prevent locking and consequent breaking off of one of the said partswhen the said brace is to be folded.

Now, refer ing to the drawings, A repre sents the ladder proper, and athe rounds therein.

B r oresents a sectional or divided ventilating-fermle, which in thisinstance is corru gated lengthwise in the portion which extends throughthe frame or side of the ladder and supports the ends of the rounds, soas to provide open circulation for the air about the rounds the fulldepth of the ladder-frame, and thus provide ventilation and prevent suchaccumulation of moisture at this point will destroy the life of round.

It is a connnon experience in ladders for outdoor work that moistureworks into the round at the point where it meets the ladderframe and ina comparativly short time rots the round out at that point, so that itbecomes weakened and breaks ofl. under weight, an which frequently leadsto serious accident. My idea is to preserve the extremity of the roundagainst the injurious effects of moisture by affording a freeventilation over its entire end surface, and this is done by means ofthe ventilating-ferrule, either of the kind shown or its equivalent.thermore, has an enlarged rim or flange b at its inner end projectingpast the frame A of the ladder relatively as shown and of a lengthadapted to form a support for the round a if it should occur that itbroke off at its rn eeting-point with the edge of the ladder. In thatcase the roui d would simply drop down upon flange or head I), and thiswould be a warning to the user of the ladder and would prevent the roundfrom dropping further, and thus avoid accident. I also provide thesections of the ferrule with recesses 2 in their edges adapted toreceive a nail 3, which passes through said recesses and the round ofthe ladder and secures the ends thereof, as seen in Fig. 5. his makes asafety arrangement for the rounds of the ladder, which is of the highestvalue to the user, because it is a sure protection against fall ordanger by reason of the breaking away of the round at either or bothends when he is standing thereon.

The next feature of the invention above re ferred to is comprised in thetop extension C, adapted to lengthen t lander to reach the higher placeson a building where the ladder in its original size would not besufficient. To this end 1 construct the extension C of Said ferrule, fur

any desired length and connect the same with the body of the ladder bymeans of channel-iron couplings D. The said couplings are made of suchsize and length as to fit snugly about the meeting ends of the saidparts and to overlap both ends sufficiently to make a rigid and safeconnection between them, and the said channel-irons are permanentlyaffixed to -the upper or extension section 0 and adapted to sleeve overthe upper ends of the ladder, thus making a sort of socket connectionfor said ends in said irons, and a spring 5 at each side of the ladderis provided with a locking-shoulder at its inside adapted to engage inthe recess in the side and top of the ladder to lock the extensionfirmly thereon. Thus a ladder is provided with as much greater lengththan the body of the ladder as may be needed in any case, and the entirestructure is made rigid. and perfectly safe.

The third feature of novelty is found in the means for adjusting theposition of the folding brace or brace-frame D, which ordinarily comesat the top of the ladder, but which in this instance, if desired, may beremoved from its position Fig. 1 to the extension C above. In my formerconstruction, as seen in Letters Patent No. 788,992, I em ployed a linkconnection for the braces of brace-frame B; but the links or chains wereof a fixed length and could not be taken up or let out, and hence therewas no adapting of the said parts to the varying inclinations of theladder. This Was found to be an undesirable limitation, and hence I haveimproved the said construction by providing the upper supporting-iron 6at each side with a hook 7, and chain 8 engages over this hook and ispermanently fixed at its lower end to the brace-slide 9. It should benoted, however, that the brace or brace-frame B and the parts justreferred to are connected with the rigid frame E, adapted to run ininside channels 8 in the ladder and which extend the full length thereoffrom top to bottom, and the said frame E is provided with ribs on itsside and rear portions to slide in said channels. Hence the brace-slide9 is free upon the edge of the said frame E and has inside flanges orwings to confine it laterally, while the brace 10, one at each side,engages therewith and pivotally with the braceframe B. With thisconstruction and arrangement of parts I may employ a fixed or setbrace-frame at any angle or inclination to the ladder that may bedesired by taking up or letting out the chain 8, and then when I desireto fold the ladder for shipping I detach the chains from their hooks andbring the links 10 and the frame B downward, so that they rest oneagainst the edges of the frame E, and making a close fold for shipping,as seen in dotted lines, Fig. 4. This construction, therefore, is veryconvenient and desirable whether the ladder be in use;or be packed awayfor shipping or storing.

The fourth feature of the invention above referred to is comprised inmeans for engaging the bottom braces G of the ladder. These have alength' relatively as shown and are designed to be folded lengthwiseoutward against the sides of the ladder when not in use, as seen indotted lines, Fig.1, but may be bodily detached, if preferred. However,I have made provision for folding the same against the side of theladder, so that theywill be in place when the ladder is set up for useand be out of the way for shipment and storage. To these several ends Ihave provided said braces G with hooks 11 and shouldered fins 13 at thebase of said hooks. These hooks are engaged with the eyebolts H, whichare secured through the sides of the ladder from the outside and inwhich the eyes thereof have outside notches 14 of such depth as topermit the fins 13 to pass through the same for engaging and disengagingthe braces. Otherwise and in all working relations said hooks areirremovably secured upon or in the eyes of the eyebolts, and this isparticularly true when they are brought to bracing position, in whichthe braces are set outward at their bottom from the bottom of the ladderand sustain a lateral inclined relation to the ladder, which appearsclearly in Fig. 1. hen in this position, the hooks are apart from therecesses 14 and cannot become detached from the eyebolts, but hold abracing position and relation thereto. Now it has been a commonexperience in this arrangement of the parts that when it come to folding the braces they would be caught in an angular position between thehook and eye, which would lock the two parts together, and then anyforce or undue pressure upon the end of the brace to get them unlockedor to fold the brace is liable to break one part or the other. To avoidthis, it was necessary to provide the eye 15 with a stop 16, which is inthe nature of a rib thrown up on its outer portion, beyond which thehook cannot be turned. This limit is plainly seen in Fig. 9. Hence thehook 11 is confined to one half or side of the eye 15 for itsoperations, which is all that it neens, and on this side of the said ribit cannot be thrown into such accidental locking position as will causebreakage, but will have perfectly-free movements.

It will of course be understood that the so called. body of the laddermay be made in hinged sections, if desired, and all the attached parts,such as brace-frame B and the mechanism connected therewith and theplatform J and its carrying and sliding frame L, may be removed from theladder and the ladder be used simply as a common ladder, if it bepreferred. It will also be noted that both platform-frame J andbrace-frame B slide in the same channels on the inside of the ladder andthat each is provided with its own mechanism for making lockingengagement. These features, however, are not set forth as novel in thisapplication.

What I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a ventilatingferrulefor the ends of the rounds of ladders.

As a new article of manufacture, a sectional ventilating-ferrule for therounds of ladders provided with corrugations for circulation of airabout the confined end of the round.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a ventilating-ferrule for the roundsof ladders having a flange portion about itsinner end of a greatercross-section than the body of the ferrule and adapted to come on theinside of the ladder.

4. A ladder provided with ventilating-ferrules in the sides thereof andthe rounds of the ladder locked in said ferrules.

5. In a combined ladder and scaffold, a ladder and braces at the bottomthereof, eyebolts fixed in said ladder and hooks upon said braces, andsaid hooks and eyebolts constructed to disconnect the hooks at one sideof said eyebolts.

6. In ladders, a ladder provided with bolts at its sides and lowerportion, in combination with braces having hooks engaging the eyes ofsaid bolts and constructed to be engaged and disengaged therewith, andlateral stops on said eyes to prevent the said hooks from turning intostrained position therein.

7. In ladders, a ladder provided with eye bolts in its lower portion, incombination with braces hooked upon said bolts, the eyes of said boltshaving outward projections adapted to limit the turning of the hookstherein, thus preventing the said hooks from coming into locked andbreaking relation with the said eyebolts.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the -presence of twowitnesses.

MARTIN BAUER.

Witnesses:

R. B. Mosnn, C. A. SELL.

